Caesar Salad
If you’ve never made a homemade Caesar Salad, then you might be surprised by just how easy it is to whip up. My version includes fresh homemade croutons and a rich and tangy homemade dressing. The simplicity of a Caesar salad is unmatched. It’s simple enough to make during the week and pairs well with lots of main dishes. It’s always my go-to whenever I’m eating out at a nice restaurant, but the truth is…this easy salad recipe is wayyy better than any restaurant version. Let me show you just how easy it is to make!
“So good!! This dressing is incredible. So easy, and a guaranteed show stopper. This one is headed straight to my permanent recipe repertoire.”
Jarad
Easy Caesar Salad Recipe
This simple Caesar salad is all about bold, craveable flavors, and it starts with a creamy homemade Caesar dressing. It’s rich, tangy, super flavorful, and really easy to whip up thanks to one shortcut: mayo instead of fussing with raw eggs and oil. I mix in lemon, garlic, anchovy filets, Dijon, Parmesan, and a good amount of black pepper for that classic Caesar punch.
And while the dressing is the star, the real key to any great Caesar salad, imo, is homemade croutons! Ok, second to the dressing, of course 😉 They’re crispy, crunchy, and oh-so-flavorful! And the best part is…they’re SO quick to make. Together with the creamy dressing, you’ve got the perfect finishing touch to pull the whole salad together.
Budget Saving Tip
Since this salad is relatively simple to make with simple ingredients, I spent extra using fresh Parmesan from a Parmesan cheese wedge. But to save some cash, you can absolutely use pre-shredded Parmesan cheese instead.
Caesar Salad
Cost $8.50 recipe / $1.42 serving
Ingredients
Caesar Salad Dressing
- 1 fresh lemon ($0.79)
- 3 cloves garlic ($0.24)
- 3 anchovy filets (packed in oil, $0.86)
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.02)
- 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard ($0.20)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise ($0.66)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan ($0.40)
Salad
- 8 cups romaine lettuce (chopped, $3.73)
- 2 cups croutons ($0.71)
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan ($0.89)
Video
Instructions
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Start by making the Caesar salad dressing. Zest and juice the lemon. You’ll need about 3 Tbsp juice and 1 tsp lemon zest. Finely mince the garlic and anchovy filets. Reserve about ½ tsp of the oil from the anchovy container.
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In a medium bowl add the lemon juice, zest, minced garlic, minced anchovies, anchovy oil, and pepper. Whisk to combine.
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Add the Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, and grated Parmesan to the bowl and whisk to combine again. Taste the dressing and adjust the ingredients to your liking.
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Next chop, wash, and dry the Romaine lettuce. Add the lettuce to a large bowl.
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Top the lettuce with the croutons, shredded Parmesan, and half of the salad dressing (start with half the dressing and add more as needed). Toss the salad until everything is coated in the dressing. Serve with extra Parmesan cheese and freshly cracked black pepper on top (optional). Enjoy!
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Notes
Nutrition Information
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make A Caesar Salad Step-by-Step Photos
Make the dressing: Zest and juice 1 lemon (you’ll need about 3 Tbsp juice and 1 tsp lemon zest for this recipe). Then, finely mince 3 cloves of garlic and 3 anchovy filets. Be sure to reserve about ½ tsp of the oil from the anchovy container.
In a medium bowl whisk together the lemon juice, zest, minced garlic, minced anchovies, anchovy oil, and 1/4 tsp pepper.
Add 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan to the bowl and whisk well to combine.
Have a little taste of the dressing and adjust the ingredients to your liking. Set the dressing aside for now.
Prep the salad: Next, chop, wash, and thoroughly dry 8 cups of Romaine lettuce. You can add the lettuce to a salad spinner or use paper towels (or a lint-free kitchen cloth) to dry the lettuce. Add the lettuce to a separate large bowl.
Assemble the salad: Top the lettuce with 2 cups croutons, 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan, and half of the Caesar salad dressing (I like to start with half the dressing and then add more as needed).
Toss the salad until everything is coated in the dressing.
Serve: Top with extra Parmesan cheese and freshly cracked black pepper when serving (both optional). Enjoy!
What To Serve with Caesar Salad?
One of the best ways to enjoy this salad is by adding some grilled chicken. I also think our pan seared chicken or air fryer chicken would be delicious on top for a quick and easy chicken Caesar salad. Salmon and shrimp also taste great with this salad! Or simply add this salad as a side dish alongside your favorite dinner recipes like homemade lasagna (my kid’s favorite) or creamy garlic chicken.
Storage Instructions
This salad will keep for about 3 to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge, though that can vary depending on how fresh your ingredients were to begin with. If you can, store the components separately—especially the croutons. They’ll go soggy fast if they’re sitting in the salad. Keep them in their own airtight container at room temperature, and if they lose their crunch, just reheat them in a skillet or pop them in an air fryer for a minute or two to crisp them back up.
Other Caesar Recipes to Try:
- This Chicken Caesar Wrap delivers all the flavor of my Caesar salad + chicken in an easy handheld lunch!
- Whenever I want the flavors of this salad with a little extra crunch, I make this Caesar Slaw with Crispy Chicken.
- Our Grilled Romaine Caesar Salad gives classic Caesar salad a smoky twist with lightly charred romaine.
